The Ministry of Labor, Social Policy, Displaced Persons and Refugees of Sarajevo Canton signed a contract with the Institute for Youth Development KULT, enabling all public institutions and ministries in the Canton to become accredited providers of long-term volunteering.
According to the Law on Volunteering of FBiH, long-term volunteering in your profession is considered work experience. Volunteering is considered long-term if you volunteer at least 240 hours over a course of 3 months continuously. Since there are 6000 young people in Sarajevo Canton with no work experience, the Government of Sarajevo Canton adopted a decision mandating that all public institutions and ministries in Sarajevo Canton complete the process of accreditation for long-term volunteering, in order to provide these young people with opportunities for gaining work experience. The Institute for youth development KULT will provide advisory support to the Government of Sarajevo Canton and help institutions through the accreditation process.
“This is the first time the entire Canton entered an accreditation process at this level, it’s a unique situation in FBiH”, said Minister Malik Garibija, adding that the accreditation process will allow young people to gain work experience, which will then help them find their first job.
Executive Director of the Institute for Youth Development KULT, Mr. Jasmin Bešić, stated that volunteer work is an entirely voluntary activity and cannot be mandated in any way. He also noted that it’s important to be aware of the distinction between work experience and pensionable service, and that long-term volunteering does not qualify as pensionable service.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT is inviting all young people from Sarajevo Canton to take advantage of what the law is offering, and gain their first work experience in 2020.
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